Batteries of all sizes and types, including chargeable and non-rechargeable, are used in a variety of devices to provide power to electrical circuits.
Alkaline batteries have provided power to consumer and hand-held devices, one example of which is a flashlight, for decades. A general description of the construction of alkaline batteries is described in the prior art, an example of which is the article found at http://www.electrical4u.com/alkaline-batteries, as well as a technical bulletin about Duracell® batteries found at http://ww2.duracell.com/en-US/Global-Technical-Content-Library/Technical-Bulletins.ispx, both of which are incorporated by reference herein, from which FIG. 1 and the following description of such construction is obtained. The body of a battery, generally designated as 100, is made of a hollow steel can 102 comprised of an outer cylindrical wall 1020C, a top surface 102TC and a bottom surface 102BC. Can 102 contains all materials of the battery. A positive cap with a nipple 103 of battery 100 is projected from the top of can 102. A manganese dioxide cathode powder mix 104 is pressed against the inner steel wall of can 102 so that the steel case of the can becomes the cathode current collector and serves as the positive terminal of the cell. The inner surface of the thick layer of cathode mixture is covered with a porous separator 105 which isolates the electrodes of the battery. The central space, inside separator 105, is filled by a zinc anode powder 106. The porous nature of the anode, cathode, and separator materials allows them to be thoroughly saturated with the alkaline electrolyte solution. A metallic pin 107 is welded to the external anode cap 111 and extends through a plastic cap or grommet 109 into the center of the anode powder mix maintaining intimate contact. This pin is called a negative collector pin or an anode current collector. Plastic cap or grommet 109 is sealed to the steel can 102 by means of radial crimping pressure and a sealant. Anode cap 111 is electrically isolated from the positive cell case 102 with an insulator 110. A vent mechanism 112 is incorporated into the plastic grommet 109 to protect against cell rupture. An outer insulative wrapping 102W is also commonly applied to can 102 which is also used to contain printed material, such as trademarks and trade dress of the battery manufacturer.
Batteries, including alkaline batteries, are often aligned in series, in which a positive terminal of one battery is in direct contact with a negative terminal of another battery. Using a flashlight as an example, it is well known in the prior art to include a battery compartment, such as a barrel, in which batteries (such as AAA, AA, C or D cell size) are aligned in series. While such an arrangement is the common and traditional arrangement, there have been prior suggestions that steps be taken to protect battery electrodes in a series arrangement where two batteries connect with each other, such as through the use of a battery spacer and resilient conductor as taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,645,955 and 5,795,675.
However, despite the fact that batteries, including alkaline batteries, have been used in a variety of devices for decades, there has been a well-known problem that batteries can leak battery corrosive electrolyte over time, causing problems related to cleaning such leaks and sometimes ruining a device in which the leak occurs.
Accordingly, the present invention addresses a long-felt need for a way to minimize battery corrosive electrolyte leaks in devices that use batteries, including but not limited to, flashlights.